Love Rock (2004)

Narnack

Fuck the Strokes, fuck the Hives and fuck every other slicked out over-hyped rock band on the planet. If you want real rock ân' roll, the kind that makes you wanna run around like a maniac bringing glorious chaos to everything in sight hopped up on booze and dangerous amounts of adrenaline, then Guitar Wolf is your band. They graciously point out that "rock never forgives" and are clearly on this planet to destroy everything that is un-cool and boring about music these days.

While the Japanese trio's last record, UFO Romantics, was a little light on the distortion, Love Rock pierces your ear drums until they ooze out with sweet red kroovy. Beautiful bursts of squealing feedback, pulsating drums and a bass that roars like a revved up Kawasaki ZII 750 mesh together to create an intoxicating sonic concoction that will revitalize your faith in music.

Singer/guitarist Seiji kicks out the jams hard and fast with little regard for technical prowess which, in this era of rock, is totally refreshing. It's a wonderful thing that Guitar Wolf could care less if they're hitting the proper chord or tuning their instruments correctly because what counts here is the pure, fiery passion and atomic explosion of rock ân' roll adoration that you just don't hear too often anymore.

Like the press release says, "Stronger than ever, loud as fuck, Guitar Wolf just wanna rock." And boy howdy, do they succeed! Hands down, the best rock ân' roll record of 2004.